Audio response systems have been used in businesses for many years to replace costly human operators. Generally speaking, audio response systems include such systems as Audio Text, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Voice Mail, and Voice Messaging. Audio Text generally refers to a service in which a caller dials a telephone number from a telephone station to receive audio information simply as a result of making the call. Examples of this service include time and temperature recordings.
Interactive Voice Response systems (IVR's) generally incorporate caller interaction with the service. These systems have been utilized very effectively in businesses which typically utilize labor to perform "rote" or repetitive informational, customer service tasks. IVR's normally solicit caller responses by providing audio menus to callers. The audio menus are frequently canned messages of digitized voice prompts. The callers respond to the audio menus by pressing one or more of the Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) keys on their telephone keypads. In this way, the callers and the IVR's "interact".
IVR's are used in many different applications, including telephone banking, order entry, and automatic call routing. IVR's often enable telephones to serve as "terminals" to host computers. Live operators are often incorporated to assist callers using rotary phones and callers who refuse to interact with machines. One example of an IVR is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,850. That patent shows a local network of independent IVR's which work in conjunction with live operators. IVR's are typically connected to Private Branch Exchanges (PBX's) or exist as stand alone systems in single locations.
Voice Mail Systems and Voice Messaging Systems are very similar to each other and are also very well-known. Both of these systems often incorporate many IVR functions. Typically, these systems are used to record messages which will be re-played to intended recipients at later times. The messages are very often digitized and subsequently stored on digital storage media.
Voice Mail Systems are functionally similar to common answering machines. A caller is typically transferred to the Voice Mail System when the intended recipient is not available. A digitized message, often in the recipient's voice, requests the caller to leave a message. The system then typically records the caller's message by storing a digital representation of the message. The system then provides an indication on the recipient's telephone, i.e., a Message Waiting light, to notify the recipient that a message is waiting to be retrieved. The recipient then accesses the system and listens to a re-play of the message. The system normally provides several options to the recipient, including replaying, deleting, and saving the message.
Voice Messaging Systems also involve leaving messages for intended recipients. However, these systems are normally accessed by callers who wish to record messages to be sent to recipients at future times. A common system number is dialed, and the intended recipient's number is entered along with the message. The system later calls the intended recipient and re-plays the recorded message. One example of a Voice Messaging System is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,752. That patent also discloses functions typically found in Voice Mail Systems. Voice Mail Systems and Voice Messaging Systems are also typically connected to PBX's or exist as stand alone systems in single locations.
A system which offers audio response services to a wide area, for example, the United States, can either be a stand alone or a distributed system. A stand alone system often suffers the typical disadvantages of long distance communication, including signal degradation, propagation delay, and cost. Many wide area audio response systems include 800 number access, a service provided by Long Distance Carriers (LDC's) and typically referred to as INWATS ("IN" designates that the call is directed to the owner of the number and "WATS" is an acronym for Wide Area Telephone Service) which allows callers to make long distance calls which are paid for by the recipient of the call rather than by the caller. The service is typically billed on a time or time-distance basis.
Alternately, distributed systems often have other disadvantages. U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,267 discloses a wide area system for routing calls to suppliers of goods. In that patent, locally controlled IVR's process caller specific information and access a remote database for supplier telephone numbers. The system disclosed in that patent is relatively costly to implement due to the required number of intelligent IVR'S. This high start-up cost reduces the system's effectiveness as a substitute for human operators. Because identical call control programs are stored independently on each and every IVR, programming changes appear to be very time consuming and inefficient, possibly requiring a break in availability.
A need exists in the industry for a wide area audio response system which is uniquely designed to be both economical and efficient. Specifically, a system is needed which minimizes signal degradation, propagation delay, and cost, while providing for convenient programming changes and non-interruptible service.